Kindred Spirits
by GuardianSaiyan
Summary: Kyo gets into trouble one night, and meets someone that might just change him...please R
1. Trouble on the Streets

Kyo walked down the street. He looked to the moon, he was so hungry. He didn't want to go back to the Shoma house with that stupid Yuki still there. Then again that had been three days ago and he couldn't even remember why he was mad at him.  
Shrugging the thought off, Kyo looked ahead. He stood at the curb- edge in front of an intersection. He focused his eyes on a teenage girl crouched in the middle frantically picking up her books and papers. Kyo heard a humming sound, looking to see a motorcycle come flying around a corner, and barreling towards the intersection. The girl hadn't noticed.  
"Hey! Watch out!" Kyo yelled out and drove at the girl. He collided with her and in an instant was a cat. His body hit the ground hard and started uncontrollably rolling toward the bike. Kyo yowled as the bikes back tire ran over one of his hind legs. The biker kept going oblivious to everything.  
The cat tried to move his leg, causing a sharp pain to shoot through his leg. He cried out again. It hadn't been a good week.  
The girl picked herself off the pavement a small bit of blood trickled from her nose. She gestured angrily at the bike as it disappeared into the distance. Picking up her broken CD player, she heard the crying. Kyo recognized her. She was a girl from his high school not one of the ones that drooled over him and Yuki, she actually seemed decent.  
"Oh you poor thing.." Miaka said looking over the small mammal, "did that jerk hit you too?"  
Yeah he hit me! Kyo thought angrily, saving your ass! He growled and hissed as the as the girl approached him.  
"Shhh...." She soothed, "Don't worry, I'm not going to hurt you. Let me take a look at that leg there." Miaka crouched over him. Kyo cuffed her hand making it bleed, but she didn't seem to care. She touched the leg gingerly, making Kyo yowl again.  
She sighed, "It's broken." She made a make-shift splint and picked him up carefully,  
"I can fix it at my apartment, come now little kitty." Kyo growled for a bit, but then grew strangely comfortable in her arms 


	2. A kind heart

Kyo woke with a start as a sharp pain went through his leg. He had been placed down on a bed.  
"Sorry buddy," a soothing voice said to him, "I tried put you down gently." The cat almost cried out in anger.  
I fell asleep! He thought, how could I have been such an idiot?! I have to get away before I change back. Stupid girl... trying to be all nice and all... All of Kyo's anger vanished as the girl scratched his ear.  
"Shh... little kitty, I have to get the splint so stay there and don't hurt yourself." Miaka got up and left the room closing the door behind her. Kyo began to panic again. He surveyed the room, the only the were some windows, and only the door to God knows where.  
I have to get out before- the cat changed back into a naked highschooler.  
"Shit!" he whispered in a furry, "I really have to get out!" Kyo rose from the bed with a lot of pain, and hopped over to the door. As he reached for it the door opened.  
The girl backed into the room with a large platter filling her hands. The Shoma child froze, there was no escape. He watched in horror as she turned around carefully watching the platter of objects. Kyo had to think fast, he gritted his and threw his arms around her.  
The large platter flew into the air, and the orange cat howled as it hit it's wounded leg on the ground. He looked frightfully up at the confused girl.  
"What just happened?" she muttered. Kyo winced, she had seen him! The girl looked down at the mammal at her feet.  
"Kitten! You weren't supposed to move! Did you do this?" She picked Kyo up again, who was pissed at the kitten remark. Miaka laughed.  
"You enjoy causing yourself pain, don't you?"  
You have no idea... Kyo thought, I live with a rat. The girl began to rock him back and forth.  
"Alright then my little friend, I'll hold you while I treat you if that makes you happy. You're an odd one, you know. Kyo growled  
Take that back! However, Miaka didn't notice, she bent over and started picking up the mess the cat had caused. Kyo's eyes went wide as he saw a plate of fish being brought up to him. Through all of his panic, he had completely forgotten his immense hunger. Miaka laughed again as she watched the cat inhale the large plate.  
"My, it looks like you haven't eaten for days!" The cat stopped as he realized the pain in his leg had disappeared.  
"Did the herbs work?" Miaka asked, "I guess I can fix your leg now." Kyo watched quietly as she fixed-up a cast onto his leg.  
Great. Now how will I get the off when I change back? He thought angrily. The girl put him back down and opened a window.  
"There it should be fine now, and it'll stay on no matter what messes you get yourself into." She petted Kyo on the head again, then picked up his face to meet her eyes, "I'll leave the window open for you, go home." She said with a laugh, and left the room.  
Kyo carefully moved up to the windowsill, and looked back at the empty doorway.  
"I'll... I'll find some way to repay you." He stated angrily and limped off. 


	3. Welcome Home Party

Kyo limped home wrapped in a bed sheet. He felt bad about stealing it, but he wasn't going to run home naked so Miaka could just get over it! He winced with each step. The herbs had won off about an hour ago, and the cat broke off as soon as he had changed back. He looked ahead, and sighed. He finally reached Shigure's house, He saw a young girl in the front yard.  
"Tohru..." Kyo said happily. The girl turned at his voice. The cat's eyes opened wide in fear.  
No, he thought, Not-  
"KYO!!" Kagura shouted excitedly, "Darling! I thought you were dead!" Tears brimmed her eyes as ran to him. Kyo limped backwards, but he couldn't run because of his leg.  
Stupid girl, he thought angrily, I shouldn't have helped her.  
The boar tackled him. "I was SOO worried! Don't scare me like that!!"  
"Owwww! "he cried out as his leg hit the ground.  
"Oh, my poor little Kyo! Are you hurt? Who did this to you?! I'll TEAR THEM APART!!" She yelled the last sentence pulling on his arms to emphasize her point.  
"Ahhh! Kagura, you're not helping any....Get off!!" he threw her off him. Shigure, Yuki, and Tohru all emerged from the house investigating the screams. Shigure held Kagura from assaulting Kyo again.  
Kyo, it's nice to see you've come back home... what are you doing by the way?" he asked watching the cat rock back and forth on the ground holding his leg. He was in so much pain.  
"What's wrong, Kyokyo, did you hurt your little kitty leg?" Yuki said with a smirk. Kyo's face turned beat red with anger.  
"Shut up! You damn rat! I broke my leg, and then that stupid girl jumped on it." Tohru ran over to him and examined it.  
"It doesn't look to good..." she said carefully touching it. Kyo blushed, "You should go to the hospital o something..."  
"I don't need your help....I mean...damn it all!!" he growled. Shigure let go of Kagura and walked over to Kyo.  
"Kagura, could you go tell Hatori that we seem to be in need of his medical expertise." The boar ran over to Kyo and hugged him, he growled again.  
"Yes anything for my precious darling." With that she ran off.  
"Finally, I thought the torture would never end." Tohru laughed at this, she thought Kagura's love for him was cute.  
"Okay let's get you into the house. Yuki, can you grab his other side?"  
"No way!! I don't what that damn rat touching- owww!!" Kyo cried out as his leg hit the ground again, from Shigure's miss balance.  
"Shut it cat. It's just to the house." Yuki said picking up his other side. As Kyo was helped up he looked at Tohru, he probably looked so pathetic to her right now. The girl watched the Sohma's help Kyo up, then she turned bright red and flipped around.  
"I'm not that pathetic am I?" Kyo yelled angrily.  
"Miss Honda... what's the matter?" Yuki asked.  
"Kyo.....he's..." she sputtered embarrassed. The three of looked at Kyo's feet, a bed sheet lay wrapped around them. Kyo turn bright red for the third time. Yuki shook his head and Shigure started laughing.  
"That's NOT funny!!" Kyo hissed. The writer picked up the sheet and wrapped around Kyo again.  
"Okay. Let's get some clothes on you." He said still laughing, and they started walking back.  
"By the way, Kyo..."  
"What?"  
  
"Why ARE you wearing a sheet... did you get some hot action or something?"  
"What!? NO! Why would you even- Shut up! You wouldn't understand...." Tohru smiled, just another day at the Sohma house. 


	4. Kyo Becomes Brave

Thwack! "Get up you stupid cat. You're gonna be late for school." Kyo threw the pillow back at Yuki, but he had already left the room.  
"Damn rat..." he muttered and struggled to get up. He had to sleep inside now because of his broken leg, so he couldn't get used to not seeing the sun every morning. After spending ten minutes try to get off of the floor and into crutches, he walked into the living room. Tohru, Shigure, and Yuki sat around eating breakfast.  
"Took you long enough.." Yuki said, "Miss Tohru's food is cold by now. You're so inconsiderate Kyo."  
"You know what you damn rat?! Let's go right now!"  
"I don't fight cripples, sorry." Tohru looked at the cousins nervously.  
"Kyo I made some breakfast for you if you're hungry..." she said trying not to have a repeat of what happened during vacation.  
"Well I'm not!" Kyo yelled and stormed out of the house.  
"Hmmm.... I knew I shouldn't have sent Yuki to wake him up." Shigure thought out loud, "oh well. You kids have fun at school. Oh! And take of Momiji and Haru. Those two are more unpredictable than Kyo sometimes."  
Yuki and Tohru nodded and said their goodbyes.  
  
"I wonder if Kyo's okay with his broken leg and all." Tohru wondered, as her and Yuki walked to school together.  
"He wouldn't admit it if he wasn't." The rat stated, "Besides, if he didn't do stupid things then he wouldn't have broken it. So he should just deal with it." Tohru sighed.  
"I know. It's odd though, he wouldn't tell anyone how he broke it, not even Hatori when he came to put a cast on it."  
"He most likely did something really dumb that he doesn't want to admit to. And he's stubborn like that."  
  
The school day continued as normal With the exception of the gaggle of girls that wanted to "nurse Kyo back to health.  
"I told you, it's just a broken leg, I'm NOT DIEING!!" Kyo screamed and pushed the fan girl away. Tohru, Uo-chan, and Hana-chan all sat in a circle playing cards, like they do every study hall.  
"So he hasn't told anyone what happened?" Uo-chan asked. Tohru shook her head.  
"Yuki thinks it was something stupid and he's embarrassed about it."  
"No." hana-chan stated staring at the boy, "his energy doesn't have the signature of such events happening. It reads in a pure light." The psychic's friends gave her a weird look and decided not to get into it.  
Kyo was actually happy that Yuki had come into the room for once, because all the girls surrounded the "prince" instead. The cat looked around the room. He stopped on a girl hunched over a math book. She kept writing something then scratching it out. He got up and limped over to her. He looked over her shoulder at the problem.  
"If you paid more attention instead of getting so upset about it, then you'd realize you forgot to distribute x over there." He said than bit his tongue. He didn't mean to say it so harshly.  
Well, if she takes it the wrong way it's her own fault!  
"Oh.. I didn't see that, thank you soo much." Miaka looked up at her helper and gasped, "Kyokyo.... I mean Kyo!" Kyo's eye twitched at the nickname but forced himself to ignore it. The girl looked sadly back at the paper.  
"I just don't understand this stuff, I'm so bad at math... I'll fail if I-"she cut herself off, "you probably don't care.. I'm sorry I bothered you Kyo.."  
"WHAT IN HELL ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?! "he yelled at her, "I'm the one that came over to you! Why would you even... arugh! I don't know why I even bother!"  
"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to get you angry! Please forgive me." She said. The cat held his anger again.  
"Well, I've just noticed that.. You seem to be really good at science and biology and stuff." Miaka grew red with embarrassment.  
"Yeah, I've always been pretty good at it."  
"Well.. I'm not, in fact I'll fail if I keep at it. So I can help you sometime with math if you can help me with my Chem and Bio and stuff..." He didn't even know why he was asking. He knew she would say no, it was the only thing he could do to repay her.  
"Sure." Miaka said with a smile, "When do you want to meet Kyokyo?" She covered her mouth right after she said that.  
"Don't call me that!!" Kyo yelled again with his hair standing up on end, "I shouldn't have even tried to help you!" He noticed she was laughing, "What's so damn funny?!"  
"You remind me of a cat." Kyo froze, "don't worry, that's a good thing." She said with a smile.  
  
Uo-chan looked on in curiosity, "Now THAT'S something you don't see every day. Kyo trying to make friends!"  
"With a girl no less." Hana-chan said in her normal placid voice. Tohru just smiled. Kyo was changing. 


	5. pink petals

"Where is she?!" Kyo growled as he stood outside the school. It was a couple days after his cast had been taken off and he couldn't believe Miaka wanted to study at his house already. A bunch of the Sohma's were going to be at the house today. He just prayed that Shigure wasn't talking about Kougra when he said their were going to be having some family over. The doors opened and the girl came out.  
  
"What took you so long?!" he shot at her. Miaka gave him an odd look.  
  
"Ummm....I'm sorry? The bell only rang two minutes ago."  
  
"Well you... should have ran!!" she tried to surpress a giggle.  
  
God she's getting on my nerves... " Let's go." He said angrily, but then she noticed she shrank back a little, "What is it now?!"  
  
"Ummm...." she said quietly, "you live in the properity by the hills right?"  
  
"Yeah so?" he said wondering were she was going with this.  
  
"Can we take I back street that I know?"  
  
"Why?" What's wrong with the normal road?!" he yelled but she just smiled, he forgot about his anger.  
  
She's kind of cute when she smiles... he thought suddenly.  
  
"Nothing! It's just..... come on!! I'll show you!" Miaka yelled and ran off.  
  
"Hey what the hell?! Wait up you weirdo!!"  
  
Kyo chased after Miaka on the main road for a couple of minutes and finally caught up with her.  
  
"Jeusus you're fast," he said panting and still running, " I mean faster than a turtle, not that much faster..."  
  
"Jump." she said.  
  
"Jump?! Damn it!! stop being so-"he started to yell but she hopped over the side of a bridge. " Hey! Be careful!!" He jumped after her. He landed softly, and looked to see her smiling sweetly at him.  
  
That idiot!! She could have gotten hurt! Then he looked around and gasped.  
  
"Wow...." he whispered. They stood on a dirt road that was lined with rows and rows of Sakura trees. They all were in full bloom, each time the wind slightly stirred, pink petals fell lightly onto the round.  
  
" I know, isn't it beautiful?" Miaka asked happily and twirled around in the middle of the road. Kyo watched her and couldn't but show a small smile.  
  
Very beautiful... he thought but what came was different.  
  
"I guess.. if you like this stuff....Why did we have to run here anyway?!" She came back to him.  
  
"Because I had to wait a whole year to see it again." She said quietly, " if you don't like it then we don't have to come back.."  
  
"What! No! I never said I didn't I meant...Argh!! You're imposible!!" She looked down to the dirt, hidding a smile.  
  
"Come on," she said. They walked amoung the Cherry Blossoms holding a quiet conversation.  
  
It's odd.. Kyo thought, I don't lose my temper as much when I'm with her... probally because that DAMN Yuki's not here!! He noticed it was taking a little longer this way, but it didn't bother him. He didn't have to deal with anyone this way. He did kind of miss Tohru though..  
  
He finally looked ahead to see the Sohma house in front of them. Kyo stopped quickly and hid behind a bush. He pulled Miaka down with him. With a couple quick glances around he moved quietly to the door and slid it open. He snuck in with utmost of silence, when Miaka moved close to him.  
  
"Why are we sneaking into your house?" she whispered.  
  
"SHUT UP!! I DON'T WANT THEM TO KNOW YOU'RE-" the living room door slide open, and Shigure, Yuki, and Haru all looked down at them. Miaka got up with a red face and bowed to them.  
  
"H, hello. My name is Orotasai Miaka and-" Kyo grabbed her arm.  
  
"RUN!!" he yelled and pulled her upstairs.  
  
  
  
"What was that about?" she asked laughing as they climbed up the ladder.  
  
" Because believe me you don't want to meet them.." he said with a growl, " beside they like to assume." She sat down on the roof.  
  
"Well, I don't think that helped your case any... and Prince Yuki seems-"  
  
"SHUT UP!!" If you want to meet them so bad, then go ahead! Go study with that damn rat too if you want! I'm not gonna stop you!"  
  
"damn rat? You really don't like him do you, Kyo?" she asked, but the cat just stood in silence. He looked over and she was smiling.  
  
"Why are you so God damn happy all the time?!" he yelled. She looked down and blushed deeply.  
  
"N, no reason really..." she stammered, "it's just I've never been able to be so comfortable around some one before...it's stupid, I know..." Kyo looked at her. She had changed a lot since he met her. What she pulled today she would've never done then. Kyo blushed a little.  
  
"It's not stupid..." he started, "well, it is a little I guess.. I mean it's..."  
  
"Do you sleep up here?" she asked before he got even more embarassed.  
  
"WHY?! Do you have a problem with it?!" he growled. Miaka shook her head.  
  
"No! I think it's nice.. It's really calming up here."  
  
"Yeah well I still have a bedroom inside, and it's not so comforting when people come up to bug you all the time...Can we get started already?" She smiled sweetly and nodded.  
  
I really like her smile...The cat thought to himself. Then he sat down and started studying with the remaining light of the day. 


	6. a change in the wind

"Argh!" I still don't get it!" Kyo yelled throwing the textbook at the wall.  
"Maybe it's because you're so stupid." Yuki stated walking by Kyo's room. The cat threw Miaka's text at him.  
"Mind your business rat!!" he growled. He calmed down when he noticed Miaka looking at him oddly. He went to the window, it was still raining.  
"Why do we have to study here all the time? I mean don't you have a house?" He noticed Miaka looking down in embarrassment.  
"Ummmm... well, it's because of my little brother. He's really sick all the time and having guest around could excite him and make him worse."  
"Oh..."Kyo said quietly ashamed he asked. Miaka's pain vanished with a smile.  
"You know, I'm hungry! I'll go make us something!" She stated and ran downstairs before the cat could stop her.  
"Jeez, that girl is odd..." he muttered. They had been doing their study sessions for a while now. Kyo's grade had gone up two marks, even though he still complained. A loud growl came from the cat's stomach. He sat and let his mind wonder for a while until his stomach growled again.  
"Damn, I hope that brat's making something good..." He laughed and went downstairs. The growl grew louder as he neared the kitchen. He could smell fish.  
"She 's smarter than Tohru at least." He said smiling. He entered the kitchen and his mouth dropped. It was a disaster. Miaka and Tohru ran back and forth laughing and making a huge meal.  
"What are you doing?!" Kyo yelled Tohru smiled at him.  
"Miaka came down to make a snack, but it was too close to dinner, so thought it would be good if she just stayed!" she said happily." Go sit down! We're almost done." The cat obeyed and sat down at the table with Shigure and Yuki.  
"Yuki, Hatori called and said he wanted to check your lungs again." The rat curled his lip at this.  
"Why, is something wrong?" Tohru asked innocently, carrying a large plate. Yuki shook his head.  
"No, Hatori is just being stupid." He said, as she places of rice balls on the table.  
"Actually, he just wants to check on them, remember they've been acting up lately? He just wants to be careful." Shigure corrected. Miaka brought in the platter of fish. The cat's mouth watered.  
"I made the main dish," she said happily, "it has a secret ingredient." Everyone sat down and started to fill their plates Tohru was the first to taste the fish. And when she tasted the "secret" ingredient, she froze.  
"Umm...Kyo..." she said, but it was too late. The cat popped a bite if fish into his mouth. Everyone watched as all the color drained from his face.  
"M...Mi, Miaka...what exactly is the secret ingredient?" he asked his eye twitching with anger. The girl looked at him confused.  
"Leaks... why?" she asked. Kyo's face got whiter and he rose from the table.  
"How could you?!" he yelled making Miaka cringe, "you ruined the best thing in world with those demon vegetables!!"  
As Tohru tried to calm Kyo down, Shigure couldn't help but notice Miaka's reaction. Every time Kyo yelled she shrunk back and tried to become smaller and smaller.  
"I'm sorry." She said quietly, but Kyo didn't hear her. The writer decided to take matters into his own hands and smacked the cat in the back of the head.  
"Enough." He stated.  
"Owww!! You damn rat!!" Kyo yelled.  
"I didn't hit you, you fool." Yuki stated.  
"Who are you calling a fool, you bastard?!" Kyo growled, "Are you asking for a fight?"  
"Eat some more leaks, KyoKyo."  
"Don't call me that!!" he growled. Miaka got up.  
"I s, should be going..." she said nervously. "Kyo stopped, and looked at her.  
"Oh...okay. I'll lead you to the down." He stated. She ran upstairs to her stuff.  
"I think Kyo has a looovvveee interest." Shigure snickered. Kyo flipped around.  
"What?! Where the hell do you get that?! Liking her would be like... like... liking Tohru! And probably Uo-chan mix in there as well, and I'll kill myself before I ever start liking that Yankee bitch!!" Kyo yelled but shut up when Miaka came running downstairs.  
"Bye!" she said bowed then turned quickly towards the door.  
"No!" Yuki yelled, but it was fine. Hatori grabbed the girl's shoulder, stopping her from running into him. Miaka looked up at the man blocking her way.  
"I'm sor-"she started, but she saw the doctor, her eyes widened and she started back up shaking. The dragon's eyes open wide with shock.  
"You..." he whispered in recognition. Kyo looked at Miaka, her eyes brimmed with tears.  
"I, I have to go." She stated and ran past Hatori and left.  
"What the hell was that?!" Kyo yelled getting in the doctor's face. Hatori just looked down at Kyo with a glare in his eyes.  
"Stay away from that girl." He growled, "That is an order from the main house." 


	7. To follow the heart

"What the hell?!" Kyo yelled punching the desk. "She wasn't here again!"

"Miaka?" Tohru asked him quietly, it was the end of the school day, but there still was some students left in the classroom.

"Yeah! Who the hell else?! Ever since that damn Hatori ran into her, she hasn't been in school for three damn days!" Tohru nodded sadly, it had been bothering her as well. Even more so when the doctor refused to say another word on the matter, even though Kyo had yelled at him through the whole check up.

It made her wonder, how did those two know each other? She remember the terrified look on Miaka's face, did she know of the curse? She looked up to asked Kyo, but he was already gone.

Kyo felt the round pole of the light post in front of an intersection. He bit his bottom lip. It was where he met her, where he saved her life. He shook with anger; it felt like so long ago. He had only been to Miaka's home only once, and it was dark

"Why can't I remember?!" he growled frustrated. He had gone to that spot by the cherry trees ever since she left the Sohma house. She was never there, Kyo knew his last chance to see her was to find her house. The thought shot a pain through his chest, not a real pain, but a void. The cat walked across the intersection, he would let his heart find the way; it was his only hope.

An hour later Kyo finally reach the small duplex he believed Miaka lived in. Breathing in deeply, he walked up the front steps and went to knock on the door. He paused, what would he say to her? He wondered, he couldn't just spaz on her, as much as he wanted to, it could completely drive her away for good. The cat swallowed hard, and knocked on the door praying the right words would come when she answered the door.

However it wasn't her that answered the door. A tall man opened the door and Kyo reeled from the smell of alcohol that wafted from his body. He gasped for fresh air, feeling like he, himself, could get drunk from just standing there.

"Umm..." he stammered, I must have the wrong house... do you know where M,Miaka lives?" The man looked Kyo over, and stood there for a long time just trying to comprehend the boy's existence. Finally he made a disgruntled gesture inside the duplex.

"Shhe lives hhere....room in the back.." he slurred and stumbled away from the doorway back to the couch he was sitting in before. Kyo walked in slowly and looked around, he now knew the real reason why they never study here.

"Shut the door!!" Miaka's father yelled, after Kyo stood there for a second. The cat slid the door shut carefully, took off his shoes, and walked to where the man had pointed. He knocked quietly on the door at the end of the hallway, when no one answered he let himself in. He saw the window open leading out to a roof. He crossed the room, and climbed slowly out the window.

Half way through the window, Kyo saw the teenage girl lying on the roof, her eyes shut tight from her tears.

"Why are you so stupid?!" Kyo snapped, then he bit his tongue. In a much nicer tone he added, "You got to go back to school or else all that studying would be for nothing." Miaka sat up and stared at the cat with disbelief.

"Wha, what are you doing here?" she cried out, "My father... Kyo you have to leave. We can't hang out with each other anymore..." Kyo slammed himself down beside her.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?!" He asked angrily, "I already know you lied about having a little brother and all, but that understandable, and...wait.... what happened to your eye?" One of the girl's eyes was swollen shut, completely black and blue. He was so frustrated that he completely missed it. Miaka looked quickly away.

"N..nothing.." she said quietly even though she knew he wouldn't believe her. Kyo shook, he wanted to scream out in frustration, but didn't. Instead he reached out to her and touched the girl's shoulder.

"Look, Mia. This is a bunch of bullshit." He said quietly, "I don't care what damn Hatori thinks or what your home life is like. I just have to know the truth, about everything. I'm just so sick of being the one that doesn't know what's going on." Miaka slowly turned back to Kyo, and her broken face show a hint of a sad smile.

"No one's called me Mia for a long time." She said in a calm voice. She looked Kyo in the eyes, "Alright," she said, "I'll tell you everything...."


	8. A troubled Past

"I see her father still beats her…." Hatori stated quietly after taking a sip from his tea. Shigure looked up from his readings, not in much surprise.

" I had wondered about her bruises, and that explains her fear." The dog's only real surprise was the fact Hatori finally spoke. He had shown up everyday while Tohru and the others were still at school, but had never spoken a word.

"Hatori," the writer started cautiously, "what happened between the two of you? That poor girl seemed terrified of you. You don't have to tell me, but…"

" I… I never wanted Mia to fear me." He stated with a choked throat.

"Mia?" Shigure pondered, "You got close to her didn't you? Hatori nodded calmly, " It was years ago, when Yuki and Kyo were still children. She was so small, so young… I don't know how she still remembers..." he trailed off, and his body convulsed with tears.

The dog poured his friend some more tea and put a hand over his.

"Children remember a lot. Tell me your story, it'll help." He stated quietly. The dragon nodded again.

"As I said it was awhile ago. She couldn't have been more than six or seven at the time. It was raining the day I met her, cold rain, the kind that chills you to the bone. I had run out to the city for medicine for Akito, and when I was walking home from the hospital, I noticed her. She was curled into a ball, dripping from head to toe. I remember she wasn't crying or calling out; she was just sitting there staring down at the black top.

"At first I thought she was lost or waiting for someone to get out of a store. However, when I approached her, I noticed the bruises and how long had been sitting there. When I reached my hand out to she take her temperature, she tried to pull away frightened of being hit. She was too weak to put up a fight and when I touched her, she was burning.

"That's when I took her home, she was going to die out there and I couldn't let that happen." Hatori looked down at the warm cup in his hands.

"What did Akito think of her?" Shigure asked.

"Heh, Akito… Akito scolded me for it, but bit his lip anyway, and let her stay. Not before he warned me about never letting her find out about the zodiac." He sighed, " If only I brought her to the hospital instead…"

"For two years I took care of her. It had taken me a year to get her to talk, the first time she did, however, I fell in love. I adopted her as my own. She seemed so happy here. She would play with Kagura from time to time, but Akito would never let her play with the boys. Everything was fine, God, it was perfect, until the day she wrapped her arms around me…"

"So she found out."

"Yes, although she had no problem with it, Akito did. He ordered me to erase her memory the very next day. When I left his room, she was standing there with tears in her eyes. She told me she wouldn't let me, that she didn't want to forget. That's when she took off, I assume back home to her father, and I left Akito none the wiser.

" And now she's back." Shigure stated.

"Yes, and if Akito finds out, I don't know what he'll do to her."

That's why you told Kyo to stay away from her."

"Yes, although I realize it won't work for long…"

"Why not?" The dog asked puzzled.

" She told me a story once when I asked her what her sign was. She was born on the Chinese New Year, at the exact turn of midnight. In between the years of the pig and the rat."

"Amazing. Then those two are kindred spirits, both born into misfortune. Both the year of the cat." Hatori smiled at Shigure's words.

"Spoken like a true writer." He said. They both laughed.

"I see…" Kyo said after Miaka had finished.

"So you know about the family curse." The girl nodded silently.

"That's why we can't hang out anymore. They won't allow it…"

"Bullshit! I'll fit the tooth and nail!" Kyo yelled. She giggled.

"Umm... Kyo?" looked at she carried a mysterious smile.

"Now what do you want….ahh!" He cried out as she wrapped her armed around him. There was a puff of smoke and she looked down at an orange cat in her arms.

"I knew it!" she cried out, " you are the one that saved me!"

"ACHK!" Let me go, you psycho! You're choking me!" Kyo yelled and wildly trashed his claws. She put him down in her lap and smiled happily through her tears. Kyo felt his anger melt away.


	9. First Confrontation

Miaka climbed back through the window and blushed. Kyo bit his lip in anger; he had turned back standing in front of her.

" Why are you blushing! At least I have my pants on now!" She snickered, "Damn it! You wouldn't be so good damn embarrassed if you didn't touch me!" he snapped putting on his shirt hastily. She blushed deeper.

"I'm… I'm sorry, I don't know what came over me." Kyo looked at her in amazement. Miaka stood in front of the window where the last red rays of the sun were streaming through. The dusk's cool wind, just starting to pick up, blew at her hair gently making the strands dance playfully across her face. Now with the deep rouge coloring her cheeks, she was beautiful. She saw his sudden longing look and glanced nervously at the floor.

"Umm… I think you should go now. My father doesn't like people over, and I have to go make dinner for him." Kyo nodded absently, to lost to argue. She moved quickly to the door, avoiding his eyes, and opened it, running straight into a large man.

"Daddy!" she cried out and fell back, stumbling upon her own feet, "Kyo was just going home!" The man's eyes, which were still red from the bottle, moved up and down the young Sohma.

"What'd I tell you about men in my house!" he sputtered out, and took a step forward. It was when he had to duck slightly under the doorframe to get through, did Kyo realize how large the man really was. Miaka got to her feet and held a protective arm in front of Kyo.

"He was just helping me with my homework, pa, th…that's all. He's a tutor; you know how bad I'm at math. He's helping me get up my grades…" she stammered, biting her lower lip nervously. The man looked at Kyo.

"Get out." He said with a growl. Kyo looked at Miaka with uncertainty, but she just nodded, and mouthed, 'I'll be fine'. Kyo sighed and left the house.

It was a few hours after dark when Kyo finally got home.

"KYO!" a voice screamed out in the darkness, making the cat's hair stand on end.

"Oh no…" he whispered, "not-" Kagura tackled the boy to the ground, and held him in her embrace.

"Oh my precious Kyo!" You had me soo worried! Being gone all day without a word." She hugged him tighter, the cat's face started turning blue. "Then when Yuki told me you were most likely over some **_girl's _**house. I couldn't believe it! But I knew you would come home to me Kyo! I just knew you would!"

"I….can't ……breath.." the cat choked out, thinking how many ways he wanted to hurt the damn rat for his words.

"OH!" the boar pulled herself off of him. She looked down to the ground, suddenly depressed. " I'm sorry Kyo…" He got up and gave her a weird look, was she going to cry?

"I'M SORRY!" She wailed and glomped him again, choking the cat.


	10. Calling forth The Coward

A/N: Just so everyone knows the last chapters of this story are set, after the last episode so if you haven't watched them all don't read! Otherwise enjoy

* * *

"There's going to be a bad storm tonight Kyo! You might want to come home straight after school!" Shigure, dressed in an apron, yelled after the three teens as they walked out the door.

"Yes, MOTHER." The cat growled back, and scowled to himself. Jeez, why did it have to rain? The last time it rained… Kyo looked down at the black and white beads. The cat looked up the road at Tohru and Yuki who were holding hands, if it wasn't for them, he thought, then shut it out. It was stupid, he shouldn't be worried about himself, it was Miaka he should worry about.

"Why did I leave her alone with last night, how could I have done that to her?" he muttered to himself. He sighed, and prayed she was okay. He looked back to the two ahead of him. He thought he had saw they were holding hands. It was weird though; Kyo felt nothing. He should have been aggravated, and jealous, but there was nothing. He cared for Tohru so much, and hated that damn rat, but… Kyo smiled, Miaka took his anger away.

Tohru looked at Miaka sitting in her seat. There was a large bruise on the side of her face; it had even broke open, leaving a scab in the middle. Her lip was split, and it must have still hurt, because the girl kept hiding it her mouth. Tohru longed to help her, but didn't know what to say. After her and Yuki got home from school, Shigure and Hatori told them everything. 

"Looks like she got in a pretty bad fight," Uo-chan noted beside her, " that bruise, they only split like that after it's been hit more than once in the same place… hard too." Tohru sighed; she hoped Kyo could do something…

"Stop grinding your teeth," Yuki said to the cat, "It's annoying." The cat flipped around to his cousin.

"Excuse me!" he hissed, "Why don't you back of you damn rat!"

"I would if I didn't have to sit next to you." He stated calmly.

"Its NOT ASSIGNED SEATS!"

"Well someone has to make sure you don't do something stupid."

"WHO YOU CALLING STUPID!" Kyo yelled, "THAT'S IT! OUTSIDE! RIGHT NOW!" Yuki just shook his head; he wasn't looking for a fight.

"Calm down fool." He said getting more annoyed, but it just fed Kyo's anger.

"FOOL? EXCUSE ME BUT I'M NOT THE LOVE FOOL!" he hissed, "AND WHAT WAS WITH YOU AND TOHRU THIS MORNING! WHY DON'T YOU TWO GET A ROOM!" Kyo put a hand over his mouth as soon as he had said it. Three Prince Yuki Fan Club girls in the seats in front of them turned their heads completely around, exorcist style. Their mouths hung open. Yuki glared at Kyo. The cat had not seen him this pissed in a while.

"Listen you damn waste of life," he growled, "Why don't you use that god damn anger of yours towards something productive, like protecting the people you care about. Not hurting Miss Honda. You might stop grinding your god damn teeth if you actually act on your feelings for once instead of being such a god damn coward." With that the rat got up and walked out of class shaking with anger, an embarrassed Tohru right on his heels. Kyo watched speechless. He was a coward, wasn't he?

"Umm… d, do you people realize I'm still teaching?" the English teacher asked nervously, but no one noticed.

Kyo got home alone, still thinking about those bruises and the words Yuki had said. He shouldn't have left her there alone; he should have stood up for her. He bit his tongue, what was all that training for, if he was a coward? 

"But I still can't beat that damn rat." He hissed to himself, but was that a good excuse? The cat entered the kitchen, looked around, where was everyone. He had though he was going to have to deal with Shigure nagging him about everything. It was odd for no one to be home. Kyo opened the door to the living room froze in fear. Outside rain began to fall, and lighting flashed on Akito's pale face.


	11. The Strength of Love

"Hello Kyo." Akito said solemnly turning from his position in the window. " I have been wanting to have a little talk with you." The cat glared at the frail Sohma. He hated him with all his heart. He was the one that completely treated Kyo like his was an outcast. Kyo looked down, that was because he was an outcast…

"W, what do you want Akito?" he hissed through his teeth, hair standing on end.

" It's about your little love affair. You realize it won't last, right?" he asked calmly. Kyo started grinding his teeth. "She might be okay with our family curse, but you have your own curse don't you?" he smiled a wicked smile, and shook his head.

"It doesn't matter." Kyo stated through bared teeth, "Tohru didn't care, she didn't care what I am." Akito moved towards him, and grabbed the cat by the shirt.

" One girl deals with you, and you believe the whole world can accept the true monster you are? Have you noticed a change in your precious Miss Honda after she saw you like that? Has she been different, distant maybe?" Kyo couldn't speak. She had seemed farther away. Was she avoiding him?

"No…. Tohru isn't like that, I've been the distant one, because I've been with Miaka!" But Akito just shook his head, and let Kyo go.

" You are a monster, a thing that people despise. When Miaka sees you she'll hate you! You should be caged!" the head of the Sohma family retorted. Kyo's mind raced, he didn't know what to think.

"But don't worry, I've taken care of your mistakes. Like I've done in the past. It'll all be better once Hatori erases her mind, won't it? Yes… Its bad enough to have one outsider in on our secret, but two? Think of the risk, Kyo, think of everyone else in the family. Think of your master." That hit home, Kyo's eyes raised from the floor, and stared at his cousin defiantly.

"Family?" he spat, "Since when was I apart of the 'Family', Akito? In your eyes I've always been an outsider. And you know what? If I'm an outsider, if I'm not apart of your precious zodiac, then I don't have to listen to your orders!" he screamed and turned, but a hand grabbed his arm.

" It's already done Kyo," Akito said with a glare, "Hatori has already erased her mind. She won't even recognize your face." The cat tore his arm free, and backed away from the man in disbelief.

"No… I have to find her!" he cried and took off through the door.

"It's too late!" Akito yelled after him and the night filled with vicious laughter.

* * *

"What did you do to him!" Kagura growled at Akito, but the man just looked at the doctor. 

"I need a ride home, Hatori, let's go." He sighed and walked towards the door.

"No." The word made the head Sohma flip around, furious.

"Excuse me?" he hissed, but looked in shock at the dragon. Hatori glared at Akito with the same defiance the cat had had. Akito shook with anger, how could they do this to him? After all he had done for them? Didn't they see that he did all this for their own good, their own safety?

" We have to go find Kyo. It's pouring outside, and how worked up you got him Akito, he'll no doubt collapse. Don't you agree, Shigure?" The dog nodded and grabbed the car keys off the table. The two left with Yuki and Tohru at their heels. Kagura stopped at the door and looked at the thundering sky.

" If Kyo is hurt, in anyway, Akito, I won't forgive you. All the other torment you've given him I've put aside, but this is going too far." She stated calmly. Then turned to the sick man with tears in her eyes. " I love him. It hurts me to see him falling for another girl, but she makes him happy. That's all I want him to be, I would never take that from him. So, if you have hurt that girl in anyway, I will kill you." She turned and ran out into the driving rain. Akito stood where he had been in shock; he had been betrayed.


	12. Last Dance of Confrontation

Kyo stopped to rest on the huge iron gate, as the sky fully opened up. He closed his eyes, trying to regain some his strength.

"Damn rain..." he muttered as he glanced up at the sign engraved above him. It deemed the land before him was Saint Jude's Cemetery. Miaka had told him that it was the anniversary of her mother's death, why she was still in the graveyard at night. He didn't really want to know. Yet he had tried her house and no one was there.

He walked through the entrance terrified of what was to come. If Hatori was there… if he had touched her… the cat shook his head, he couldn't start to think that way. But already his pace started to quicken.

"Miaka?" he asked out into the darkness with something barely more than a whisper. Kyo's feet were numb from the air and the mud already slicked in them. He jumped at a crash of lightning. Then through the driving rain, he heard a scream.

* * *

"Where would he be?" Kagome asked as she chewed on her sleeve. She was leaning in from the back seat shooting glances between Shigure and Hatori. The dog sighed. 

"I have no idea. I mean according to Tohru, we've checked all the possible places. I'm out of his favorite hiding areas. Does anyone else have any suggestions?" Yuki watched the driving rain out the window, he disliked the fool of a cat, but he didn't deserve this. He glanced over at Tohru, and knew.

"He'll go to Miaka." He said, "He would run to the one that he has to protect, the one he cares about." Tohru blushed as she met his eyes, but Shigure just sighed.

"Yeah but we've checked their normal places. Where wou-"the dog almost jumped as Hatori grabbed his arm. A frightened look fell on his face.

"It's her birthday," he said, "We have to go to her mother..."

* * *

Kyo fell to the ground with mud splattering across his face. He had no strength, if only it wasn't raining. He could hear the muffled sobs from Miaka in front of him. Kyo had never felt more of a coward. 

"Stay out of it boy." A gruff voice laced with rum called out. The cat got up and looked at the horror ahead. He had run as hard as he cold to the source of the scream, to find Miaka on the ground with her father standing over her. His first attempt to save her landed him in a mud without any air.

The drunken man now had his daughter up in the air by her throat. He spit into her face, Kyo couldn't believe what he was seeing.

"You little demon came here to revel over the murder you did all those years ago didn't ya? You took my love from me, you destroyed my world." He growled and tightened his grip on her throat. "For Eighteen years I waited for her to return and punish you proper for what you did. She never came back, so now I have to deliver it myself."

Kyo ran into the man again, trying to knock him over, he had no strength to fight. The man hit him harder than before, sending him flying into the mud. The cat pounded his fist to the ground, and stared at his hand covered in mud. He was going to lose her, but he could save her. Sohma Kyo got up for a final time, as black and white beads fell to the ground.

* * *

"Look!" Tohru cried out as the headlights fell onto the graveyard. A tear ran down Kagura's face as she glanced upon the creature outline in the light. The thing hulked over the body of a man with three large gash marks in his back. The man was not going to get up again. 

"Oh my little Kyo…what have you done?" she whispered. The creature turned to the headlights then back to the girl staring up at him.

I can see it in her eyes, Kyo thought, she hates me. He cried out, howling into the night. I'm sorry I'm such a coward. He turned to run but something caught his legs.

"P….please…" a hoarse whisper came from behind him, "p…plea…se d, don't leave me alone…" The cat turned back and stared in shock at the girl wrapped around his legs. Tears cleaned a path in the blood and mud on her face. He wrapped his arms around her.

"I won't Miaka," he whispered, back in his human form, "I promise…"

* * *

"Shigure?" Kyo asked as he sat against on the floor near the writer. The dog looked up from his work at the boy. He was holding his knees staring at his black and white beads.

"Yes, Kyo?" The cat looked up at him.

"Last night….why didn't she run….why wasn't she terrified of the monster I was?" Shigure smiled.

"Kyo, you saved her from the only monster there last night. She had no reason to be afraid of you, no matter what you looked like." Kyo looked back down at his bracelets, something was still bothering him.

"You know she's going to live with Hatori know right?" Shigure asked with a smile, but the cat just sneered.

"Great. She goes from an abusive father to the home of that freak Akito. What are you guys dumb asses? "When he saw Shigure's expression he got up, "Why the hell are you laughing about this!"

"Kyo, I don't think she has to worry about Akito. Hatori made sure he agreed with us one hundred percent." Kyo sat back down.

"Fine, as long I don't have to eat any of Miaka's leeks. That brat spoils fish…" The dog smiled to himself, it seemed that everything did work out in the end….


End file.
